Johnny Mercyside

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Monday, April 21, 2008

Hallo everyone, it's unlikely I'll be able to get another retro review in
until my computer is fixed, but here is my review on Final Fantasy XII, which I
did in April 2008. It's possibly the last review I did, I can't remember doing
one since. But as that was the highest vote tally in my first poll, I'll do my
first proper review on this site as a video game review. To your right is four
options of game review, choose which game you're most interested in. Anyway, onto
the review.

"It has great qualities, but it’s just when you compare
it to the storytelling of previous games, it’s just disappointing."

It's hard to review this game and give it a rating because
as everyone who knows me is aware I adore this series with a passion. But, it's
a disappointment. I asked my girlfriend, “What would you rating FF12?” She
replied, “6 or 7 at the most.” But I gave it an eight, because it's not a bad
game. Not by far. It's a great game in fact, but when you put it up on the wall
next to Final Fantasy VI, VII and IX it really does not shine out.

The game is set in a world called Ivalice, the world of
Final Fantasy Tactics, where the main character Vaan and his childhood friend
Penelo dream get caught in a war between Archadia and Rozarria, two nations
where the battlefield is about to be set in their kingdom of Dalmasca which was
taken over by Archadia two years prior the beginning of the game. Ashe, the
princess of Dalmasca and Basch both thought to have died two years ago
eventually join forces and create a resistance movement against Archadia.
Balthier and Fran are sky pirates along with Vaan and Penelo who get caught in
the resistance movement. That's… pretty much the storyline. It's not great to
be honest, and when you compare it to some of the others, it's as brief as
comparing the Saw series to Cabin Fever. I mean, when people ask me to describe
Final Fantasy VII's storyline, I gasp and say “Well… it's complicated.”

The graphics on the game are absolutely fantastic, there are
no glitches no patches and they are as smooth as can be – it gives the
Playstation 3 a run for its money. There is a small load scene between FMV's
and the action but apart from that the scenes move smoothly. The best word to
use here as you have probably already noticed is smooth. There is some gorgeous
scenery in the game, especially in the latter stages of the game.

The sound is great – the voice acting is better than Final
Fantasy X's and the soundtrack is decent. Once again if you compare it to some
of the soundtracks of the other series then it stands out as pretty bad.

When it comes to replay value, something that the Final Fantasy
series masters, it's not bad. I mean there is actually only one really, which
is disappointing. It's called “Mark Hunting” which is basically hunting a
monster that is pestering people in the game, they get harder and harder and
eventually you go against some of the hardest monsters in the game. There is no
“Blitzball” or “Card Game” like in the other series which is disappointing.
Even the smaller side quests don't offer much.

The main thing I would like to talk about is the battle
system. Ever since Final Fantasy IX the people at Squaresoft/Square Enix
believed they had to change the battle system. In the old series, there was an
ATB gauge, and until it fills up the characters stand still and do nothing. In
Final Fantasy X they got rid of the ATB gauge which made the game flow much
more. In X-2 they brought it back but instead got rid of all the waiting and
delays and made the fighting flow even more. Final Fantasy XII works in exactly
the same way but you can control the character in a 3D environment rather than
in a set screen battle like the other games. The world map and battlefield is
the same field this time around, the monsters can be seen as you scroll across
the deserts, mountains and plains you go through. This sounds like a vast improvement
doesn't it? My only problem is, the original way of fighting in the Final
Fantasy series was not a problem whatsoever in the first place. I have no idea
why Squarsoft/Square Enix think they need to improve the battle system. I've
never seen anyone complain about it. Yes it has gotten mocked over time but
games do! How many games in the past have got mocked but have kept the system
the same over time? Game Developers always think they need to improve the game
if it gets mocked, mainly games that contain scrolling or 2D graphics. Sonic
went downhill and only makes one or two decent games every five years now
because they tried to go 3D – Mario as good as their 3D games are no match for
2D Mario.

The Final Fantasy series has not been “great” since Final
Fantasy IX, and this game follows that trend. Look how much time has past since
Final Fantasy X – six years nearly? Six years and they make a tolerable but
simple storyline with an improved battle system. It really isn't good enough.
Where is the plot is twist? The complex storyline? The dark/hidden side of the
main protagonist? The great female counterpart? The sick but great villain? The
scenes that make you want to cry, that get you hooked on the game? There is
nothing. Oh, but the battle system is good and improved. So for the past six
years they think that all these things are best to be sacrificed in order to
get a super battle system. Also, the storyline is so basic, they make you
travel the whole world and stretch out the small storyline by making you have
hours of battles in between. Basically, you go to one place which is all the
way across the world, fight loads of monsters for hours, get there, beat the
boss and *Insert story progression here*. And repeat. It's not good enough.
Vaan, supposedly the main protagonist has nothing to do with the storyline,
nothing, well he lives where the Archadian army took over. That's it. There's
no love story, the villain is disappointing, Penelo is just annoying. The best
qualities this game has, is Balthier, the awesome sky pirate who is arrogant,
witty and sounds like David Bowie, it's fantastic! The graphics are great the
battle system is good too. That's about it.

As you can tell judging on this review I should be giving it
less than 8/10 but it is a good game. It has great qualities. All the series
does. But it's just when you compare it to its great history of storytelling,
it's just disappointing.

Overall: 8/10

I do maintain the opinion that FF12 is just a shadow on the
Final Fantasy games around it, Final Fantasy 13 is a much better game, although
I'm yet to complete it, so can't do a full review on it. I'll hopefully be
doing a review in the next fortnight, we'll see how fortune works in my favour
first. Have a good day.

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